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THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CONSUMPTIVE.
The following story of the ac
tual experiences of a former news
paper man in his fight against
consumption was secured for The
Day Book through courtesy of
' the National. Association -for the
Study and Prevention of Tuber
culosis. Mr., .Ross is the author
of a book entitled "My Personal
Experiences with Tuberculosis.'
published by the Writer's Press
of Milwaukee, and sold 'for 50
cents postpaid. The National
Association recommends Mr.
Ross' book as helpful to every pa
tient who is engagecHn fighting
con sump tion. Ed i tor.
By Will M. Ross.
I never was particularly robust.
'Late in the spring of 1908 I be
came oppressed by
persistent languor.
Worjc which had
been a delight be
came a pull; an in
significant cold per
sisted and became
significant.
In early summer
I began to expe
rience a feeling of
exhaustion before
the day was half
lover. jn 1 g n t
.Will M. Ross sweats" developed.
And shortly a physician returned
a verdict of "tuberculosis" and
sentenced me to exile in the
southwest.
I went to EI Paso.
Hunting a boarding- house
usually a mere matter of perusing
polumns- of classified ads is a
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'
real adventure to the newly- ar
rived consumptive.
At the first house where I ven
tured, an admission -of tubercu
losis brought the door in my face,
while a' voice, filtering -through
the key-hole, added insult to in
jury with the information "we
don't take lungers' here."
.Qther attempts brought addi
tional refusals, and I ended my
day's search with a new sym
pathy and insight into the lot of
the" leper outcast.
It occurred to me to" forestall
embarrassing answers by antici
pating embarrassing questions,
so at the first place next ftiorning
I asked, "Have you ever had any
consumptives occupying this
room?" Unfortunate question,
truly, for it turned a docile,
motherly appearing woman into
a raging termagant. Pretired in
confusion and concluded that ray
troubles were due more to ailment ,
than to system. Nothing to do
then but to change the ailment,
which I proceeded to do, aban
doning by allegiance to tubercu
losis and deciding upon stomach
trouble.
The plan worked like a charm,
and I was soon installed in a
newly opened establishment,
"with a beautiful view."
Some days later, however, my
landlady cornered me and inform
ed me that I had "lied" to hdr,
and did have tuberculosis but
she said it with a smile.
They do NOT have tubercu-
losisi those 'sick-iolk'pf'ihe-souil
-t.
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